De La Hoya vs. Hopkins Thread

[Blackadar]

For those of us who don't have pay-per-view...

Predictions?

It's tough to not pick Hopkins. He's a 2 to 1 favorite with 18 title defenses. He's considered one of the best pound-for-pound fighters. His opponent barely won his last fight and is moving up in weight.

But I don't like Bernard for a few reasons. He ducked Roy Jones Jr. I think he's vulnerable to a guy who can move around the ring and jab. And age, at some point, has to become a factor. Look at Jones - he got old in a hurry.

So, for that, I'm going to go against prevailing wisdom. Oscar has a good chin and should be able to take Hopkins' punch. If he's smart, he'll stick and move, outboxing the slower Hopkins. I have a gut feeling - De La Hoya by decision.

[sabotai]

I think De La Hoya's chances run about 1 in...about a billion. If Hopkins ducked Jones, that was a long time ago. I fail to see how that has any meaning for this fight (unless you were just talking about not liking him on a personal level. :) )

De Lay Hoya just doesn't have it anymore. He may be younger that Hopkins, but Hopkins has been a boxer 1st in his career. In fact, all he's been is a boxer. De La Hoya on the other hand seems to have been a businessman 1st for the last several years. De La Hoya just hasn't looked good at all. Age will catch up to Hopkins, and even if it does in this fight, I still think he wins.

De La Hoya just simply is not a middleweight. He's going to be slower than he was in his prime. Match that with Hopkins superior boxing skills and I think it will be Hopkins. There's just no way De La Hoya can outbox him, and De La Hoya is not a slugger. He has no power at middleweight.

And even if he gets killed by Hopkins....you never know woth these judges. :)

EDIT: But I will not be watching. PPV is killing (or has killed) boxing and I will not participate. :)

[Blackadar]

FYI, Hopkins ducked Jones about 2 years ago.

[sabotai]

FYI, Hopkins ducked Jones about 2 years ago.

You don't happen to remember the details of that, do you?

[Joe]

Jones was the one doing the ducking, because Hopkins didn't want to give him 80% of the purse.

[Rasmuth]

Hopkins will destroy De Le Hoya unless he's finally started the decline that is inevitable...but if he fights the way he dismantled Felix Trinidad...it's over before it starts.

[Blackadar]

You don't happen to remember the details of that, do you?

Yes, I remember them very well. Knowing Jones' lawyer (manager) in Pensacola, I know some of the details as well. Hopkins wanted a 50/50 split of the purse, which was absurd given Jones was by far the bigger draw and had beaten Hopkins already. Jones offered 60/40 and Hopkins turned it down because he was afraid he'd get beaten.

Hell, Hopkins admitted as much in an interview. "Don't they understand they were going to give me $6 million to fight Superman, who was 30 pounds bigger than me and called me a damned fool for not taking that, and now I'm getting $4 million more -- $4 million more -- to fight a small guy coming up from junior lightweight. Don't they un ... der ... stand? So I'm trying to figure it out: am I really a damned fool? Tell me -- am I a visionary, or am I a damned fool?"

BTW, the $6 mil was the guarantee, not the max potential. And if Hopkins was really concerned with 50/50 equality, how come De La Hoya is making $30 mil on this fight while Hopkins is making $10 mil.

Hey, I'm not arguing with his logic - I wouldn't have fought Jones either. But Hopkins can never be considered in the same class as Jones. Lost once, ducked him the second time. End of story.

[MikeVic]

Jones was the one doing the ducking, because Hopkins didn't want to give him 80% of the purse.

That's what I thought too. Jones wanetd way too much of the share.

[Blackadar]

By the way, also for those who remember.

Jones won a unanimous decision (116-112, 116-112, 116-112) against Hopkins earlier when he fought with a severely bruised right hand. In other words, he beat Hopkins U-12 with only ONE hand earlier. And Hopkins wanted equal money, yet he never earned more than $2.7m in a fight before Jones offered him a minimum guarantee of $6 mil?

Pure and simple, Hopkins knew that by fighting Jones, he may never be champion again. And he didn't want to do it unless it was a payday he could retire from, becuse he knew that Jones would likely have retired his ass on the canvas.

[Havok]

Yes, I remember them very well. Knowing Jones' lawyer (manager) in Pensacola, I know some of the details as well. Hopkins wanted a 50/50 split of the purse, which was absurd given Jones was by far the bigger draw and had beaten Hopkins already. Jones offered 60/40 and Hopkins turned it down because he was afraid he'd get beaten.

Hell, Hopkins admitted as much in an interview. "Don't they understand they were going to give me $6 million to fight Superman, who was 30 pounds bigger than me and called me a damned fool for not taking that, and now I'm getting $4 million more -- $4 million more -- to fight a small guy coming up from junior lightweight. Don't they un ... der ... stand? So I'm trying to figure it out: am I really a damned fool? Tell me -- am I a visionary, or am I a damned fool?"

BTW, the $6 mil was the guarantee, not the max potential. And if Hopkins was really concerned with 50/50 equality, how come De La Hoya is making $30 mil on this fight while Hopkins is making $10 mil.

Hey, I'm not arguing with his logic - I wouldn't have fought Jones either. But Hopkins can never be considered in the same class as Jones. Lost once, ducked him the second time. End of story.


ownage.....

[KWhit]

I was at the last De La Hoya fight (vs. Sturm). He LOST that fight. But the judges gave it to him anyway - by a lopsided unanimous decision.

Face it, he's the golden boy. Unless Hopkins knocks him out, he wins.

[oliegirl]

De La Hoya is hot, I am pulling for him. :)

Great sport, put guys in shorts, oil them up, and then let them beat the crap out of each other. A man must have invented that!

[SirFozzie]

ESPN News had a blurb up..

"De La Hoya cuts Hand.. Fight Still On"

and Oliegirl, have you ever seen Mixed Martial Arts? :D

[Suicane75]

Maybe a dumb question, but is there anywhere on the net you can listen to a audio stream of the fight?

[GrantDawg]

And is anybody on here doing the round by round?

[timmynausea]

Here's a round by round update from ESPN. Round 1 is over.

http://sports.espn.go.com/sports/boxing/news/story?id=1884295

[GrantDawg]

He has De La Hoya up 2 rounds to 1 in the third.

[GrantDawg]

For those at work:



Round 4

Hopkins showing more aggression in the first 30 seconds, chasing De La Hoya a bit more around the ring. No clean punches until a nice left-right combo by Hopkins to the head of De La Hoya a minute into the round. De La Hoya throwing more body punches to avoid punches. Hopkins starting to find the mark a little more when he does throw punches. Hopkins' left jab finding its target, but few combinations by either fighter in the final 30 seconds of the round. Another tight round because neither fighter is separating himself from the other.
Graham Scores It: Hopkins wins 10-9

[GrantDawg]

Round 5

If this fight continues, it'll be a controversial decision no matter who wins. A little more grabbing the first 45 seconds, as De La Hoya shows he can go to the body effectively. A low blow by De La Hoya 45 seconds in, but referee Kenny Bayless doesn't warn De La Hoya. More punches this round. Hopkins starting to land his jab, as the movement of De La Hoya isn't quite as effective. Still several seconds of ducking and weaving by both fighters. The crowd is mostly quiet, except for scattered boos. It's not Leonard-Hagler, as it was hyped to be. With 10 seconds left in the round, Hopkins stopped De La Hoya in his tracks. A punch that did little but clinch the round.
Graham Scores It: Hopkins wins 10-9

[GrantDawg]

If it stays close, will De La Hoya win?

[GrantDawg]

Round 6

De La Hoya looks much crisper than he did against Felix Sturm, but doesn't exactly look like the "Golden Boy," either. Another minute of little action, but both fighters remain in the middle of the ring and refuse to take chances. De La Hoya is swelling under the left eye, minor as it is, it proves a punch has been thrown. De La Hoya getting busier. Hopkins stalking. The way Hopkins is fighting, you'd think he had stitches in his right hand. It's all lefts from Hopkins until the final 10 seconds when he throws a few looping rights at a back-tracking De La Hoya. No damage done.
Graham Scores It: De La Hoya wins 10-9

[GrantDawg]

Round 7

Boxers still giving each other way too much respect, but they do open up a bit in the first 30 seconds of the round. It still seems as though neither fighter wants to make the first mistake. Hopkins lands a straight right with 1:55 left. He follows with a few punches that also get De La Hoya's attention. Halfway through the round, Hopkins is the one getting off first and more often to the head. His punches are still not clean shots, although a four-punch combination does find its mark. Hopkins continues to back up De La Hoya, who is showing he's willing to move away more and more as the fight wears on. Hopkins keeps moving foward. Hopkins is pressing the action and wins the round because of pressure, if not punches. De La Hoya starting to look like he did in the late rounds against Felix Trinidad.
Graham Scores It: Hopkins wins 10-9

[GrantDawg]

Round 8

The first 30 seconds see two hard lefts by Hopkins to the head of De La Hoya, who has to back off to avoid more damage. It's starting to look more like Hopkins will take control as the rounds go on. He is imposing his strength on De La Hoya. But respect is getting in the way of Hopkins hurting De La Hoya. The fight remains in the middle of the ring, neither fighter has touched the ropes. It's as if Budweiser paid each to stand on the logo all night. More of Hopkins' punches are starting to find De La Hoya's head. A flurry to end the round doesn't do anything but get a rise out of the crowd. Hopkins doesn't look like he's going to turn 40. De La Hoya doesn't look like a middleweight.
Graham Scores It: Hopkins wins 10-9

[Jets80]

Its over..Hopkins knocks em out

[GrantDawg]

Its over..Hopkins knocks em out
You suck. :)

[Suicane75]

I love Bernard, being A Philly guy I'm glad he finaly got his payday and I hope he gets his respect.

[Jets80]

There is just no competition for Hopkins in that weight class.

[Suicane75]

I'm not a boxing buff at all, hell, I know very little of the sport outside of the top guys. How hard would it be for him to go up and fight someone in a weight class above him? Is there another marquee fight out there for him?

[SuburbanPimp]

I would like to see Hopkins fight Jermain Taylor, but Taylor still needs a few fights under his belt. Plus, with Hopkins getting possibly his biggest win, would he be willing to fight Taylor?

[Blackadar]

So much for my predictions :)

[Joe]

I love Hopkins. He should've gotten his respect when he abused Tito Trinidad a few years back.

[hoopsguy]

Sounds like Hopkins is looking at Tarver for his next big fight.